Truly immovable, it seems that these two pieces of the Manchester United puzzle will never be missing

Young Manchester United supporters have new poster boys to pin up on their bedroom walls. Not for the first time this season, a United victory was enriched by the contributions of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho at Wigan. Garnacho was serenaded by the 7,334 United followers in the Boston Stand and it is a matter of time until a Mainoo chant enters the teeming songbook.

Whatever changes Sir Dave Brailsford and his underlings oversee, they cannot match Erik ten Hag's track record with youth. At Ajax, he hothoused Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt. He has already bestowed United the academy legacies of Garnacho and Mainoo. Garnacho, not 20 until July, has started 15 successive matches. Cristiano Ronaldo nor Wayne Rooney managed such a streak when teenagers at United. Mainoo has lined up in the last five and his importance can be gauged when he is off the pitch almost as much as when he is on it.

The half-time substitution of Mainoo at Nottingham Forest had dire consequences. His ankle injury in pre-season against Real Madrid was another sliding-doors moment. That is not an overstatement. Mainoo approached this season with only 10 minutes of Premier League playing time to his name but his selection in humid Houston effectively confirmed Ten Hag was preparing him to start the season in the team, not the squad. He has shown teeth in the bear pits of Goodison Park and Anfield.

In an XI of nine internationals with World Cup, European Championship, Champions League and Europa League final experience, Mainoo was a class apart against Wigan. He is not 19 until April and, such is the dearth of quality beyond the generational talents of Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice in the England midfield, international recognition for Mainoo before he turns 20 is possible. Whenever Casemiro, Mason Mount and Christian Eriksen are all simultaneously back in the fold, the question is not which of them will start but which one starts next to Mainoo.

The reform of the Manchester United Academy

The United academy needs a new poster boy amid the dichotomy between the matchgoers and Marcus Rashford. Two years ago, Rashford had three goals and had some supporters on his back during an FA Cup third round win. Rashford has three goals this season and some supporters were on his back during Monday's FA Cup third round win. Initially, the impatience and tetchiness from the away-dayers in the second half sounded incongruous. United were 1-0 up and their lead was never in jeopardy. This correspondent messaged a few friends in the away end: Why are some getting on Rashford's back?